Supporting device for knives and the like



Jan. 24, 1933.

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR KNIVES AND THE LIKE F. W. BLECKLEY Filed DeC. 5l. 1928 INVENTOR fwd ZJ BY M ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK W. -BLECKLEY, F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY Y 'SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR KNIVES .AND THE LIKE 'Application led December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,579.

This invention relates to devices for supporting knives and the like.

VOne of the objects thereof is to provide a device of the above character of simple and inexpensive construction and neat and attractive appearance. Another object is to pro; vide adequate and ready support for knives and tools of different thickness, shape and Y size, without special adjustment. @ther 10 objects thereof are to provide a holder which shall retain its eiiiciency under conditions of use, which is so constructed as to be long-lived and durable, and which is of rugged form without sacrifice of ready adaptability.

I5 Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts` as' will be '20 exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicatedl in the following claims. YIn the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; l y

Fig. 2 is in'part a plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 1, and in parta cross section on the horizontal plane through the axis of the grippingmember, which is vshown both in plan and cross section; v

Fig. 3 is a left end view of the device as shown in Fig. 1, with a portion of the end broken away; and

Fig. 4 isa cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

` Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown at 1 an elongated rectangular box-like structure or bracket having extending therefrom upper and lower flanges 2 and '3 by means of which the said bracket may be secured to the surface of a wall or kitchen cabinet door, or in any other convenient and suitable location.

Attached to the front facell o'f said bracket is an elongated tube retainer 5 which comprises a semicylindrical wall 6 which presents its concave surface to the surface 4 of the bracket member and is spaced therefrom by means of end extensions 7. Lugs projecting rearwardly from the extensions 7 pass through slots in the surface l of the bracket and are bent over, as shown at 8, to securely fasten the tube retainer 5 to the said bracket. The ends of the member 5 are left open, as '60 shown at 9' in Fig. 1, for a purpose to be hereinafter mentioned.

Within theretainer 5 there is located a length of Vrubber tubing 10 which extends substantially the full length of said retainer, and is so mounted with respect to the face of the bracket 1 as to be substantially in tangential contact therewith along one side, as is shown at 11 in Fig. 3. The outer side of the length of tubing is supported within the tube retaining member 5 throughout substantially 180 of its periphery and snugly registers therewith. n

In use, the operation of the tool-holder will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 1 75 of the drawing, wherein is shown a plurality of knives thrust from above through the space lying between the tube retainer and the bracket, where their blades are resiliently enga-ged by the inner wall of the length of '80 rubber tubing. As the tube lies in substantial contact with the face of the bracket, its surface is necessarily distorted or displaced by the blade of the knife or tool which it helps to support. It is to be noted, however, that this displacement is entirely local, for by the form and construction of the retaining member 5'V the tubular member is supported over substantially the entire remainder of its surface. It results, therefore, that no distortion or permanent deformation of the tubing will take place unless knives are retained for long intervals of time in the same position and in contact with the same section of the tubular a finger and turn the piece of rubber tubing within its support so as to present new surfaces for contact with the tools. The openended construction affords also another advantage in that, should the tubing become dried out or lose its resiliency through aging, it may very simply be removed througheither end of the retaining member and a new piece of tubing slipped in in its place. e It is also to be noted that by reasonof the close contact andY support which the retaining member gives to the length of tubing, the latter may be of light construction, having-'thin walls and thus insuring `not only great resiliency but less likelihood of becoming cracked 'or injured should knives or tools of unusual thickness be placed in ythe holder. Lighter tubing also means' less material and a lowerV cost in manufacture. t is fur-ther to be noted that theresilient member is under'no initial Y described, 1n comb1nat1on, abracket having compression, and so long as it is notinuse retains its natural tubular form. I j

From the foregoing it will be seen that appicant has devised a supporting device for ives and othertools ,welly adaptedto attain all of-the aims and objects hereinbefore' set forth. As the bracket and tube retaining member may be Vboth and are preferably stamped out of thin sheet metal, they may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and will present a neat and attractive Vappearance made of a diameter to Vtake a standard size of rubber tubing, the resilient element of thedevice may not only be easily provided in manufacture, but replacements may be easily secured by the user. Any suitable means may 'be employed for securing the device, but, as shownV herein, p screws passing through the flanges 2 and 3 hold them to the surface upon which the device'is' supported. Y

As many` possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matterhereinbefore set forth or shown in they accompanying drawing is to vbe yinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.v

I claim: f 1. In. tool holdingV devices'of the character described, in combination, asupporting member having a rigid surface, a tubular memberyieldable in a direction transversely of its axis and positioned in proximate tangential relation to said surface, and means embracing said tubular member and holding i it j@ag'ainst bodily movement away from saidy sur-L ace. r f

' 2. AIn tool holding devices. of the character described, in combination,` a brackethaving an elongated contact surface, a supporting member attached to said bracket, and a resilient member of substantially round crossv Vsectionfheld within said supportin'g'member adapted'to coact with said contact surface to W5 hold tools therebetween, saidround member when in use. VAs the tube retainer` may *be` contact surface to yie dingly hold tools there- 75 fbetvveemsaid su porting/member comprising a wall closely em racing a substantial portion 'l' of the wall of said tubular member for hold` ing said member in operative position relative dis- 30 pori to'said contact surface and or limitin tortion thereof to the tool-engaging wal tion thereof. n f 4. In tool holding devices ofthe `character an elongatedcontact surface, f a lsu porting 285 member attached to saidbracket, an armember of substantially round cross-section held Within said supporting member in proximate tangential relation to said contact surface `to' hold a ftool therebetween, said supporting 9D member being formed and adapted to permit endwise removal of said round member theref from. i

5. In tool holdingrr devicesy of the character described, in c ombmatioma ,bracket having 95 an elongated Contact surface, a supporting member comprising'a substantially cylindri- Y call curved wall spaced'from andcarried by sai bracket, and a piece of rubber tubing positioned concentrically within said` support- M0 ing member in close contact with said curved wall vand in proximate tangential relationrto said contact surface.

6. In tool holding devices of the character described, in combination, a bracket com ris- 195 ing a sheet metal member having' a ront plane surface and rearwardly Vbent flanges for securing said memberto a wall, af support-l ing member carried by and in spaced relation to said bracket and presenting-a cylindrical T10 concavity toward said plane surface, and a resilient cylindrical member vheld closely within said concavity and positioned in proximate tangential relation to said plane surface.

y7. In tool holding devices of the character T described, in combination, a bracket comprising a memberhaving afront plane surface and means for securing said member to a wall, a supporting member spaced from and e attached at lspaced points to said bracket. and T presenting a cylindrical concavity .toward said plane surface,y and alength of rubber tubing supported within said concavity and V exposed, intermediatesaid spaced points, in proximate tangential relation yto said plane '125 surface. Y ,f'; ""j' 8. In tool-holding devices ofVL thecharacter described, in combination, a member adapted to be attached to a supporting surface .and

having a front surface adapted to be engaged by tools, a rubber tube resting substantially tangentially against said front surface, a rigid member curved substantially to it over said rubber tube to support the latter and hold it against said front surface, and means holding said rigidmember in spaced relation to said irst-mentioned member to permit the insertion therebetween and between said front surface and said rubber tube of tools, said rigid member being shaped to permit the eX- posure of said rubber tube adjacent an end thereofl to permit removal of said rubber tube.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 18th day of December, 1928.

FREDERICK W. BLECKLEY. 

